PURPOSE
To investigate the safety and clinical utility of the sentinel node procedure in early-stage vulvar cancer patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A multicenter observational study on sentinel node detection using radioactive tracer and blue dye was performed in patients with T1/2 (< 4 cm) squamous cell cancer of the vulva. When the sentinel node was found… (More)

BACKGROUND
We aimed to evaluate the microscopic extent of endometriosis in surgical en-bloc specimens of vaginal skin, rectovaginal septum, cul-de-sac, and part of the rectosigmoid bowel.
METHODS
From December, 1997 to October, 2001, 50 patients with the trias of intestinal pain, palpable disease in the rectovaginal septum, and laparoscopic diagnosis of… (More)

BACKGROUND
We wanted to establish a technique of laparoscopically assisted radical vaginal surgery for deep endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum with extensive rectal involvement.
TECHNIQUE
The procedure is started by vaginally excising the involved area which is left on the rectum, followed by bilateral dissection of the pararectal and retrorectal… (More)

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM
Placement of covered self-expanding metal or plastic stents (SEMS or SEPS) is an established method for managing intrathoracic leaks. Recently, endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (EVAC) has been described as a new effective treatment option. Our aim was to compare stent placement with EVAC for nonsurgical closure of intrathoracic… (More)

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), particularly HPV 16, are associated with invasive cervical cancer (ICC), and persistent high-risk HPV infection is considered to be a marker for progressive cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). However, most high-risk, HPV-infected, pre-cancerous lesions will not progress to invasion. Several reports suggest… (More)

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of cigarette smoking of women on the fertilization and pregnancy rates obtained by IVF treatment.
PATIENTS
One hundred ninety-seven infertile, otherwise healthy women who entered an IVF program for the first time.
SETTING
Fertility unit at the Women's University hospital of the University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
… (More)

The objective of this review is to describe characteristic MR mammographic findings for signal increase and morphological patterns of enhancement in pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and to differentiate between high grade and non-high grade lesions. The dynamic MR examination (1.5 T unit, contrast enhanced T(1) weighted two dimensional fast field echo,… (More)

STUDY OBJECTIVE
Laparoscopy has been proved to be safe and reliable in staging of patients with endometrial cancer. It has definite advantages over laparotomy, but a comparable survival outcome is still to be verified in prospective randomized trials.
DESIGN
Prospective, randomized clinical trial.
SETTING
Department of Gynecology, Friedrich Schiller… (More)

OBJECTIVE
We compared a laparoscopic-vaginal approach with the conventional abdominal approach for treatment of patients with endometrial cancer.
METHOD
Between July 1995 and August 1999, 70 patients with endometrial cancer FIGO stage I-III were randomized to laparoscopic-assisted simple or radical vaginal hysterectomy or simple or radical abdominal… (More)